89-Year-Old Imo Man Faces Death Sentence After 10 Years in Custody, GOMEP-NG Appeals for Review

By Our Correspondent

At 89, Pa Everestus Okereke has reportedly spent nearly a decade in custody and now faces a death sentence. GOMEP-NG is asking the NBA, human rights lawyers and civil society groups to take a fresh look at the case before any irreversible action is taken.

GOMEP-NG has urged the NBA, human rights lawyers and CSOs to review the case of 89-year-old Pa Everestus Okereke and his son, who reportedly face execution in Imo State.

ABUJA — The Guild of Online Media Editors and Publishers of Nigeria (GOMEP-NG) has appealed to the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), human rights lawyers, civil society organisations and the Imo State Government to urgently examine the case of 89-year-old Pa Everestus Okereke and his eldest son, Ugochukwu, who are reportedly facing execution after spending nearly a decade in custody.

The appeal follows reports that Pa Okereke and his son were sentenced to death by hanging in September 2022 over a 2016 incident in Imo State that reportedly resulted in the death of another man.

In a statement signed by the National President of GOMEP-NG, Comrade Akpovoke Otiti, the Guild said the circumstances surrounding the case warranted urgent legal and humanitarian attention.

According to reports, the two men have spent about 10 years in custody, meaning Pa Okereke, who is now 89, reportedly entered detention at approximately 79 years of age.

Reports further indicated that another son, who was allegedly involved in the confrontation that preceded the death, fled after the incident and has reportedly remained missing.

GOMEP-NG stressed that its intervention was not intended to question the authority of the court, undermine the judgment or deny the family of the deceased their right to justice.

Rather, the Guild urged the legal community to establish whether all available legal remedies had been exhausted and whether there were grounds for further legal action in the case.

The organisation specifically called on the NBA to facilitate, where possible, an independent legal review of the matter, including the charges filed against the two men, the evidence presented during trial, the judgment delivered by the court and the current status of any appeal.

GOMEP-NG also appealed to human rights organisations and civil society groups to examine the matter, particularly in view of Pa Okereke’s advanced age and the length of time he has reportedly spent in custody.

«“We are not asking for preferential treatment. We are asking for scrutiny, transparency, due process and access to justice,” the Guild said.»

The Guild further appealed to the Imo State Government and relevant justice authorities to clarify the present legal status of the case and ensure that every lawful avenue available to the convicted persons is identified and exhausted before any irreversible action is taken.

According to the organisation, the right of the family of the deceased to justice must be recognised alongside the constitutional and legal rights of persons facing a death sentence.

It therefore urged the NBA, human rights lawyers, civil society organisations and other legal advocacy groups to obtain and examine the relevant court records and, where legally justified, assist the affected persons in pursuing any remaining legal remedies.

GOMEP-NG also called on media organisations reporting the case to exercise responsibility and accuracy, stressing that the public deserves clear information about the circumstances surrounding the convictions and the current legal status of the matter.

The Guild said its intervention was based on the need to ensure that due process, transparency and access to justice remain central to any action concerning the case.